Camden M. Newborn — At Home Newborn Photography — Sarasota, FL
Emory C. Newborn — At Home Newborn Photography — Sebring, FL
Baby Charles — Sebring, FL Newborn Photography
Oh just some squishy baby newborn sweetness on the blog for you all this Friday… Welcome to the world Charles!
xoxo,
Caroline
Lane's Newborn — Lake Wales, FL Newborn Photography
I admit, one of the best things about my profession as a photographer is that I get to marvel at God's handiwork day in and day out. Gorgeous landscapes, the beautifulness of the human race, breathtaking love and the gift of a seemingly simple glorious moment. But never am I more speechless than when I am stepping into the home of a family with a newborn. A little miracle. Last month I ventured to the home of Jamie, Corey and their brand new baby boy Lane. There was a simple ease about these first time parents (Corey even admitting that he had never even held a baby before Lane.) They were naturals and so evidently completely in love, these three...
xoxo,
Caroline
Hunter Brooks Debut — Lake Placid, FL Newborn Photography
In honor of Hunter Brooks Maxcy turning 1 month old today you all get not one but two blog posts in one day. Just one week after my nephew Hunter made is debut in this world I headed over to his home to capture the whole family with their brand new addition. I am trying to get this baby boy quickly comfortable with the camera. I see a whole slew of photo shoots down the road.
Welcome to the family, Hunter!
There are so many artist credits in this post. First of all the painting in the room including the beautiful tree mural was done by Hunter's incredibly talented mom, Jen. The peg board design and totally cute fox was done by Hunter's bright and beautiful artist of a sister, Lexi. And the gorgeous quilt you see throughout these photos was created by the ever so talented Melissa of Blustitch. Head over to her site, become a fan of her's on facebook and definitely commission her to create your next one-of-a-kind modern quilt. She did such a wonderful job of pulling me into the design process by asking for my input and design ideas as well as sending over design sketches and fabric selections along the way. She is a gem and her quilts are simply lovely and totally love filled. Thanks, Melissa!
Welcome to the World, Hunter! — Sebring, FL Birth Photography
Just one month ago I got the call and walked through the doors of Florida Hospital in Sebring, FL just past midnight on a Saturday morning. Nine hours, over 1000 pictures and videos and a whole mess of joyful tears later we welcomed my nephew Hunter Brooks Maxcy into the world and I witnessed it all, yep, all of it, in an experience that I can describe as nothing less than miraculous. As Hunter took his first wailing breaths in this world as they laid him on his mother's chest, quivering lip and all, I couldn't help but to think about how this is how we all begin, right here. Wailing and terrified and beautiful all at once. And with many prayers and lots of love this little guy will one day be 18 and then 40 and then, lord-willing 80 someday (and maybe even way beyond that, who knows where health and technology will be 80 years from now). But this day, right there in that moment his journey in this world began in one of the best birthday parties I've ever experienced. Thanks for inviting me, Chet and Jen! And, of course, welcome to the world, Hunter Brooks Maxcy!
Baby Abby — Sebring, Florida Newborn Photography
I know I talk a lot about loving my job... I can't help it, I really do. One of my favorite parts is the invitation. I am honored and blessed to be invited into the most priced, precious and intimate moments in people's lives. On a wedding day I get to follow around the stars of the day. I am there when they see themselves for the first time in the mirror, dab away tears, hug their momma, kiss their dad on their cheek just on the other side of the chapel doors. I am there when the bride and groom get their first few moments alone as a Mr. and Mrs., when they laugh while talking about the day and when they stand in awe of the new journey and commitment ahead of them, from this day forward. I have to admit, I feel kinda special. And when I walk into a warm home with a little one, a star, just a few days old all bundled up and new I can't help but to feel honored. When the rest of the world goes on outside their doors the home of new parents stands in a world of it's own for a bit. It is a sacred place. You can feel it. And I get to be there. I get to ooo and aww and cuddle some of the most precious little things, long before the rest of the world gets to. Yeah, I love my job.
Last month the little star I got to meet was the perfect little Abby Caroline. Thanks Dusty and Laura for inviting me in.
xoxo,
Caroline
Happy Birthday Sawyer! — Sebring, FL Newborn Photography
When people ask me where I am living now-a-days I typically respond with "I am temporarily indefinitely in Sebring (my hometown in Central Florida) … for 2 1/2 years now." Kind of an oxymoron, I know. I had no idea and no plan for my stay in the heart of the state to be this long. But God knows what He is doing. I don't doubt that. One of the incredible perks of having been around these parts for the past two years is that I have been able to be a daily part of one pretty awesome little guy's life. It has been amazing to watch this boy grow from a prayer in a momma's heart, to a reality and today into an incredibly bright and energetic little guy that melts my heart on a daily basis. And today he turns two. In honor of his birth I thought I would share with you all a backpost from his semi-newborn session two years ago along with the story of how this little fella arrived first in our hearts and then in this world.
Happy Birthday, Sawyer!
Post from July 1, 2011:
Just this past Sunday in church I stood belting out Matt Redman's "Blessed be Your Name," falling into rhythm in the standard "church worship sway." You know, the one that says I would be dancing if I didn't think I'd be tackled in the aisle by someone with a walker and a Southern Baptist disposition. Plus my arms were full with the weight of a baby boy I quickly stole from cousin as she made her way to the seat beside me in the row. And then we hit the "breakout" part of the song, "You give and take away. You give and take away. But my heart will choose to say, Lord blessed be your name." And my thoughts went back to a little shy of one year ago when I sat at the top of a hill overlooking the city of La Misión, Mexico with my cousin, Bianca.
We were in La Misión on a missions trip with Be2Live and about 40 other folks from Bible Fellowship Church. We did service projects throughout the town during the day and at night we retired to our campsite just up the hill from Door of Faith Orphanage to have dinner and sit around a fire reflecting on the day. Each night our pastor, Todd, would randomly call on people to share their testimony and throughout the course of the week we heard stories of heartache, conflict and God's undeniable redeeming mercy and love. This had Bianca and I shaking in our boots. We both happened to be right in the middle of testimony building experiences and didn't quite know how to talk about it... without crying in front of 40 people, that is, (a concept I was much more comfortable with than Bianca.) So we made our way up the the top of the hill to discuss this dilemma one afternoon.
Bianca was struggling with the fact that she was even there on the trip. She had signed up thinking that she was going to be pregnant by the time the trip rolled around and would have to gracefully bow out. She thought, for sure, God would do that for her after everything she had been through. Not that she didn't want to be involved in missions and that she wasn't completely excited about work we were doing in Mexico but her heart's desire was for another child. And being on this trip meant that desire hadn't been fulfilled. Just a year and a half earlier she and her husband and son were preparing for a world with two more youngsters. She had found out she was pregnant with twins before losing them just at the end of the first trimester. I can't even begin to imagine what this feels like. My heart goes out to any woman out there who has lost a child. Watching my cousin deal with the pain the loss of not one but two lives broke my heart.
God, you take away.
And on the hill top a year and a half later Bianca was still struggling with being able to say "Lord, blessed be your name." It was a continued daily struggle when they had gone another year and a half since the loss without a baby. She knew she had to let it go. She knew this couldn't be "the thing" that stood between her and God for the rest of her life. She knew she must give up her idea and plan for her life and learn to accept a far better, yet mysterious, one that she didn't seem to understand. How do you talk about that in front of 40 people around a fire? But somehow she did, beautifully, honestly and without crying (might I add). And it was there on that trip that Bianca, from the darkness, could honestly sing, "my heart will choose to say, Lord blessed be your name."
Fast forward to one month shy of a year down the road. I am swaying and singing in the church pew holding a precious three month old baby boy that belongs to, you guessed it, Bianca. And for those of you doing the math in your head right now, you guessed it again, Sawyer was with us in Mexico on that hill top and around that fire. We just didn't know it yet.
God, you give.
Baby Brantley Teaser — Wauchula, FL Newborn Photography
In the past week I have made my way across glorious old Florida backcountry to the neighboring county of Hardee three times and loved every minute of it. The charming place and its folks never cease to impress. Today I got to meet this handsome fella and had to share a few teasers with you all... Welcome to the world Brantley!
